Self-adjustable rotatable surface conditioning device



July 24, 1962 R. v. WAGNER 3, 4

SELF-ADJUSTABLE ROTATABLE SURFACE CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Feb. 7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 b" 7 26 In 25 a4 l+ 25 lg! 2 H "3'3 m PP-1' I /5 I2 20 .1\\\\\\\\\ INVENTOR 0.. P/c/wro I/Wagner Fil BY M M ATTORNEY R. V. WAG NER July 24, 1962 SELF-ADJUSTABLE ROTATABLE SURFACE CONDITIONING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. '7, 1961 INVENTOR P/c/mra KV/agner 7W E ATTORNEY 3,045,267 SELF-ADJUSTABLE RQTATARLE SURFACE CGNDITIONKNG DEVICE Richard Valentin Wagner, 4006 Falls Drive, Dallas, Tex.

Filed Feb. 7, 19611, Ser. No. 87,682

6 Claims. (Cl. -50) This invention is concerned with a power driven rotary surface conditioning device which is intended for scrubbing, sweeping, polishing and cleaning surfaces, such as floors, walkways, factory floors, ramps, service station driveways, etc.

In power driven rotary scrubbing polishing and brushing devices heretofore used, no satisfactory means has been provided for causing a continuous downward pressure on the brushes or polishing heads against the surface being cleaned, and no means was provided for assuring that the rotating brushes or polis'hers would follow irregularities and constantly contact the surface over which they passed.

Therefore, the brushes or polishers in such previous devices did not uniformly wear, had to be changed and disposed of before being used up, and furthermore resulted in an unsatisfactory scrubbing, polishing or cleaning operation. I

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a power driven rotary surface conditioning device wherein the rotation of the working heads on a vertical shaft automatic-ally causes a continuous downward pressure on the heads against the surface over which they are rotating.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a power driven rotary surface conditioning device wherein the downward pressure upon the heads may be regulated by increasing or decreasing the speed of rotation of the heads.

Another object of the invention is to provide a power driven rotary surface conditioning device wherein the brushing or polishing heads are carried on floating arms pivotally arranged with relation to the rotating shaft, whereby the arms may float so that the heads attached to the outer ends thereof may follow the irregularities in the surface over which they are passing and maintain a steady and uniform pressure upon the surface regardless of the irregularities in the contour thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a power driven rotary surface conditioning device of the type hereinbefore indicated wherein the working heads are pivotally mounted on the floating arms so that the engaging surface of the working heads will remain horizontal and in uniform contact with the surface over which they are passing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a power driven rotary surface conditioning device means for causing uniform and even Wear of theworking surface on the brush or polishing surface, maintaining a constant and uniform pressure thereon until the bristles or polishing surface are entirely worn away, thus resulting in economy and efficiency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary surface conditioning device of the type hereinbefore indicated, which is simple, yet rugged in construction, and which provides a superior operation of scrubbing, polishing, or sweeping.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed specification hereinafter following, and by referring to the drawings annexed hereto.

A suitable embodiment of the invention is shown in the attached drawing wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective View, partially cut away, showass-ate? Patented July 24, 1962 ing the chassis with a motor mounted thereon and rotary blushes which are rotated by the motor;

FIG. II is an end view of the brush assembly;

FIG. III is a top plan view of the brush assembly; and

FIG. IV is a side elevational view of the brush assembly.

In the drawings numeral references are employed to designate the various parts shown, and like numerals indicate like parts throughout the various figures of the drawmgs.

The numeral 1 indicates a suitable chassis for the rotary brush device, which has mounted thereon an internal combustion engine 2 for rotating the brush assembly, hereinafter described.

The handle 3 is the wheels 4.

An accelerator control wire 5 extends to the upper end of the handle (not shown), accessible to the operator for provided for moving the chassis it upon the purpose of controlling the speed of rotation of the The drive shaft 6 is rotated by the engine 2, and a mounting sleeve 7 is secured to the drive shaft 6 by means of a cap screw it, which is threadedly extend-ed through a support washer 8a, and into a threaded socket in the lower end of the drive shaft 6.

A horizontal plate 9 is securely attached as bywelding to the mounting sleeve 7, and the vertically disposed side plates in and 11 are securely welded to the horizontal plate 9. The assembly comprising the horizontal plate 9 and vertically disposed side plates 10 and 1-1 provide a mounting for the arms 12 and 13 to the mounting sleeve 7, and in turn to the rotatable drive shaft6.

Each of the arms 12 and '13 are pivotally attached,- as indicated at 14 and '15, by suitable pivot bolts 'to the respective plates Ill and 11. It will be noted that the pivots Id and15 are attached on opposite sides of the rotatable shaft 6, so thatthe two brush assemblies hereinafter described are uniformly balanced, and spaced on opposite sides of the shaft 6.

The pivoted arms 12 and I3 each includes an upper olfset portion 16 and a lower offset portion 17. In other words, eachof the arms 12 and '13 is substantially doglegged in shape, which in their extreme upward position are shown in full lines, and in downward position are shown in broken lines.

A bracket 13, which consists of a U-shaped member having flanges thereon which overlap the edges of each of the plates 19 and I1 and embrace the end of the lower offset portion 17 of each of the arms 12 and 13, to provide a secure and stable attachment of the arms with respect to the plates It and ill to which they are attached.

A substantially U-shaped front stop member 19 is secured to each of the plates 10' and 11 in position to embrace the arms 12 and 13 and to limit the upward and downward movement of the arms with respect to the frame to which they are attached.

The brushes 2i} include brackets 21 secured to the upper surfaces thereof which are spaced apart to receive the pivoted arms 12 and I3, and the brushes are pivotally attached to such arms by means of the pivot pins 22, so that the bristles on the brushes 20* may conform horizontally to the surface over which they are passing.

The ends of arms .12 and 13 extend beyond the pivotal connection to brushes Zll and cut-outs 30 are provided underneath said ends to receive blocks 31 on the upper surface of brushes 20 to limit pivotal movement of brushes 20.

A circular spray head 23, having perforations 24 in the lower surface thereof, is attached to the under surface of the chassis 1 by means of suitable bracket mountings 25.

A water supply hose 26 is attached in communication with the spray head 23, and admission of Water from a supply hose 28 through the spray head 23 is controlled by a suitable hand operated valve 27.

Each brush 20 is detachably secured to the mounting bracket therefor by means of screws 29, whereby the brushes 20 may be replaced when worn out.

It will also be understood that brushes 23 can be replaced with polishing heads to carry out a polishing operation.

The operation and function of the device hereinbefore described is as follows:

The rotation of the shaft 6 by the engine 2 rotates the arms 12 and 13 and the brushes 20 carried thereby.

The centrifugal force of rotation of the brushes 20 causes the arms 12 and '13 to seek to move toward a horizontal plane co-incident with the horizontal axis through the pivots 14 and 15. By reason of the downwardly offset portions 17 of the arms 12 and 13, such centrifugal force causes a downward pressure on the brush heads 20, the extent of such pressure depending upon the speed of rotation of the shaft 6. It has already been mentioned that the speed of rotation of the shaft 6 may be controlled by the accelerator control of the engine 2.

Since the brushes 20 are mounted in floating relationship to the drive shaft 6, as hereinbefore explained, when the brushes pass over an irregular surface the arms will, of course, move down or up to permit the brushes to conform to such surface contour, and maintain downward pressure thereon.

Furthermore, the brush heads 20 are pivotally mounted to the outer ends of the arms by the pivots 22, which permits the brush heads 20 to conform horizontally to the surface over which they are passing.

As the brushes 20 are rotating, water spray may be jetted upon the surface through the perforated pipe 23 to provide a scrubbing action.

However, it will be understood that the brushes 20 could be used simply as a sweeper for the purpose of removing dirt and debris from the surface over which they are passed. If used as a sweeper, an auxiliary vacuum attachment could be attached to the frame 1 for the purpose of removing the dirt and debris picked up by the brushes 20.

It will be seen that I have provided a'power driven rotary brushing, scrubbing or polishing device, wherein the downward pressure upon the brushes or polishing heads are automatically regulated by the speed of rotation of the brushes or polishing heads, wherein the brushes or polishing heads are caused to conform to the contour of the surface over which they are passing, which are automatically aligned horizontally with reference to the surface on which they are used, thereby performing a more efiicient scrubbing sweeping or polishing operation, and at the same time causing the bristles of the brushes or polishing surface to uniformly wear so that they may be substantially used up before replacement, thereby resulting in economy.

It will be understood that other and further forms of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a chassis; power means attached to the chassis; a vertical drive shaft rotatable by thepower means; a frame member attached to the drive shaft; a pair of arms pivotally attached on opposite sides of the drive shaft to said frame and extending laterally in opposite directions; a surface conditioning head pivotally attached to the outer end of each arm; each said arm having an angularly disposed outer end Which is on a horizontal plane above the pivotal attachment of said arms, whereby centrifugal force of the arms causes vertical pressure on the surface conditioning heads attached to the outer ends thereof.

2. The combination called for in claim 1 with the addition of means to regulate the speed of rotation of the drive shaft.

3. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the surface conditioning heads are brushes.

4. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the surface conditioning heads are brushes and a perforated spray head is attached to the chassis in overlying relationship to the brushes, to deposit water spray upon the surface over which the chassis is passed as the brushes rotate.

5. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein stop means are provided on the frame to limit upward and downward movement of the arms with relation to the frame.

6. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein stop means is provided between the surface conditioning heads and the arms to limit pivotal movement of the heads.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 

